The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-27
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE
SCHOOL LAW.
More and Better school Buildings,
Longer Term for the Children
and Living Salaries for the
Teachers.

NASHVILLE, TENN, J snuary rs The
Banner says: II may be stated as a
prinCi ple that when the people, or
any class OF people, m axe a united de-
mand for legislation they secure it
For some time there has been a strong
demand for improvem ants 10 the
present school syst IN OF the State.
Amendments have been made to the
school law, but these have usually
been the result OF local influence and
not OF a combined movement on the
part OF those giving thought to the
subject. This is changed for the bet
ter now. As has BEEN heretofore
stated in the Banner, the State Trach-
ers' Association, al it, session in Shell.
byviile lat summer, t'ok hold of the
matter in earnest. A committee OF
five of the most practical educat) rs in
the S sts was appointed to work in
conjunction with ths State Super
intend-nt in securing certain need
ed amendments to the present
scho i laws. That committee
met in Superintand Mt Paine's office
aod spent yes eIday in consultation.
Capt. w. r. Garrett and other well
known teachers were with the COM
mittee, and several members of the
Legislative Commit on Educ ,tion
we're in during the day. The commit
tee agreed upon brief and pointed
memorial to the Lsgislt ture, setting
forth the circumsta, C 80 attending the
form alton of the committee, and sub
mitiiug such amendments as the CON-
mittee consider the most important.
There are oDlv eight amendments
submitted, and il now seems that the
Committee on Education will rec I'M
mend these for p issags, and will NEST
likely offer some o hers, as some men,
bers of the committee are practical
teachers.
The eight mentioned are as follows:
To mske the term of Office OF the
StAts Superintendent four years in
stead Of two, as now; to make his cal
airy $1,000 instead of $500; to applo-
pria' g $1,000 per annum to be- used by
the st ito Superintendent to support
Sta g teachers institutes. Anot er is
to pay toe County Superintendent five
cents psr capita OF the scholastic pop
ulation provided, however, that his
sal Try shall in NJ case be lefs than
Si0O nor more than $1,000.
Il is proposed that the CouI ty
Teachers | stituts be recognized by
msking II part of the County Su-
perinte ndent's duty 10 hold annually
a teachers insti u,e of not less than
two weeks, the expense Of which shall
bs provided for by The County Court,
by IN approximation of not exceeding
1850. The O jun'y Trustee shall make
a monthly apportionment OF moneys
t, the school district. The PROPOSE.
ton is als) made to authorize the
State Superintendent 10 provide a
gradual course of study for the coun-
try schools.
The proposed amendment over
which the hardest fight will probably
be made is on the raising of school
money. 1t IL proposed to take this
matter out of the County Court en-.
tirely, and authorizs the election by
the State Of fivs mills instead OF one
mill, as now, I, r school purposes, and
tn, county will levy no school at all
Very few, il any, counties now have
80 high school tax, and it may bs ex-
pected that this amendment will be
most ttubbcrDly Tough. by some men,
bers of both houses. Bat it mus be
remembered that bo.h parties ia the
STATE are pledged t. al improvement
of the fres schools, which cannot be
done W thout more money.
The chairman of the Ho1se Com
m sc On Education, Mr.. Cooper OF
Bedford, is au earnest and intelligent
friend of the public school aud the
school teacher. Mr.. Yancey, of Giles,
another memb Of that committee, is
in hearty sympathy with the advance
move msnt. FIR the b t,ering OF the
schools, being a practical teacher and
having been for several years superin-
tendent of G. lles county,